Dispensing apparatus



Jan. 16,1940. ,G RNER Em 2,187,232

DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a Fig 1 0/ 1 06 To REA L/fi/fT POWER CIRCUIT .105 0. Games I r Jan. 16, 1940. Q GARNER r AL 2,187,232

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1938 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3 82 50 42 E: I

J/YVA'NMS .40; 0. Gamea.

67 $50 ZC/YTESI Jan.- 16, 1940. L. o. GARNER ET AL 2,137,232

DISPENSING: APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Shea. 3

Ill/61 7 1a: 0. 668M615 FRED MO T -V PatentedJan. 16, 1940 PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING APPA ATUS LueUJ-Garner and Pied Montesi, 1 Memphis, Tenn.

V ApplicationflMay is, 1938, .Serial No. 206,133

12 Claims (01. 24-128) ,This invention relatesyto mechanism for distpensingpackages :or articleswsuch 2&8 :sandwiches,

and to means .for ,heating or retaining the heat and to means b-ylwhichrthe various movements 'in such articles.

The @invention relates to: means by which the sandwiches are .stored the dispensing drum;

tarewaccomplishedsand. 'coordinatedto -provide a step by step movementfor the individual discharge of the sandwiches.

The objects of the invention are:

To provide a dispensing apparatus having a carrierinwhichalargenumber of articles :tobe

dispensed maybe carried, and means for .ad-

vancing this carrier stepyby vstep.

To provide means for preventing advancement l of the'carrier by othertthan the designated advancing means. i

To provide means .forlimiting the movement of :the carrier at any one operation toca "single step advancement; and

To providemeans for indicating discharge of the last package containedlin the-apparatus. \The means by which the foregoing and other objects are i accomplished, ,and the method *of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. .1 ,is a sectional: elevation .of a case having three dispensing carriers therein, a portion of the Mfront of the case being-broken away to show one P of the carriers and relatedparts within the case in .rront "elevation, and a second of Ithe carriers in dicate that the pocket'adjacent the delivery chute sectiononmthe verticaltcenter line through the axis of .the carrier. v

2 is a fragmentary sectiontakenas on-the line II-'-II of Figs. ,1 and 3.

.Fig. 3 elevation of the parts shown in Fig, 2.

I Figiisan enlarged fragmentary section showing aswitch cooperating with the carrierttoinis empt I lineIX -IX of Fig, 7.

Fig. is a sectional planet the device, a portion of .the top beingbroken. away to show :the carriers in plan. 1 r r Fig. Bis a sectional elevation taken on the line VI-VLof Fig. 4.

Fig. "7 is a fragmentary sectional.elevation on frame for each carrier.

bearings.

are secured to the. disc 26 as by rivets 3|.

is a corresponding fragmentary front HMS acasinghaving insulated side, bottom and I. :top Wa1lS,1lJ11(-}ff0nt half of the top wall being diividediinto doors or sections H, l2 and I3. The

doors "l i, l2 and i3 are hinged at their rear ends I as by hinges l4 and are each provided at their,,; 5 7

forward ends with a hasp and staple [5, with which a suitable look (not here shown) may be used, the doors thus formed being openableto replenish the stock of sandwiches in the carriers, or for other access to the interior of the casing.

Disposed within the casing are three frames 2% built preferably of angle-iron, there being one These frames have each a pair of angle-iron members 2|, which members support bearings 22. Each carrier is pro- 4' vvided with ;a shaft 23, journalled in a pair of these Secured to the shaft 23, as by apin 24 is a hub 25. 26 is a disc concentric withthe shaft 23 and secured to the hub 25 as by rivets 27. The periphery of the disc 26 is partially cut away l 20 to leave protruding equally spaced lugs 28, there being one lug for each of the article holding pockets. .29 is a cylindrical shell concentric with shaft 23 and having flanged portions which ,25 At its opposite end the shell 29 is provided with flange portions,32 which are secured as by rivets to an annular disc 33. q 34 area plurality of radie allyldisposed partitions which extend from the shell .29 outward between the discs 26 and '33, .30

being secured to these discs as by welding. The spacesbetween the partitions, form pockets 35, injwhich pockets the individual packages are disposed.

The carriers thus constructed are given a step.35 by step movement by plungersflll, there being an individualplunger for each carrier, these plungers are coupled to, and ,their movement controlled,

by coincontrol mechanisms 4|, one for each plunger, these mechanismsbeing purchasable in o the open market and described in detailin patents such as #2025321, January 7, 1936. For each plunger there is a plunger arm 42 which is hingedly connected as by a .pin @3 to a plunger Y link 44. The plunger link Mhasla fork 4iwhichfla5,

. link has a limited movement along theperipherv of thedisc 2% before engagement of the end 46 of the linkwith the .1ugl28 takes place. i Disposed above thelink M is a latch armrifl hingedly connected as by a pin 51 to a portion '52 55 spring secured as by screws 56 to the frame memengagement.

her 52, which spring urges the latch 53 into lug 51' is a rocker latch bar'hingedly mounted as on a pin 58 and havingone end resiliently urged'into engagement with the latch arm 56 by a spring 58. At its opposite end the rocker bar, carries a downwardly turned latch portion 66, substantially identical in construction with the latch 53. Secured to the under side of the latch arm 531s a cam member 6| which is adapted to be engaged and raised by a cam 62.

, able engagement.

forming a part of the frame.

through the opening and into the chute.

Cam 62 is pivotally mounted on the link 44 by a pivot pin 63. 64 is a stop, and 65 a spring urging the cam 62 against the stop.

I0 are discharge chutes, there being one for each of the carriers. These discharge chutes extend from the exterior of the casing I!) through suitable openings therein into proximity to the periphery of the carrier.

II are arcuate bands one for each carrier. Each band is concentric with, and lies adjacent the periphery of its carrier, though not necessarily in intimate proximity thereto. The band is supported at one end by a frame member I2, about level with the center of the carrier, and at its opposite end as by a bar I3, also From the bar end of each frame, a continuing arcuate extension band I4 extends above the carrier center and has side walls I5 extending into supporting engagement with the frame 20. Each band is interrupted or otherwise provided with an opening I6 which is alined with the chute III so that when any pocket of the carrier reaches the pocket position -A, Fig. 6, it comes into alinement with the opening I6 and the chute III, and the content of the pocket is free to slidev outward and discharge TI is an arcuate shutter exterior to the band I4, this shutter having an opening I8, shown in register with the opening I6, and being slidably mounted so that it may be shifted with respect to the band to close the opening. I9 are guides holding the shutter "II, in such slid- At its upper end the shutter 11 is provided with an outwardly turned flange or lug 86. BI is a chain secured at one end to the lug and at the opposite end supported as by a pin 82 extending from the carrier frame.

N The shutter 11 is shiftable when its corresponding door (II, I2 or I3) is open, by pulling upward on the chain 8| to shift the shutter opening. I8 relative to the opening I6, and effect closing of the latteropening during filling of the pockets.

65 is a dog pivotally secured as through a pin, and bracket 86, to a frame member 37, this dog being resiliently urged by a spring 88 into engagement with the lugs 28 in succession to prevent retrogressive movement of the carrier.

89 is an electrical ,heating pad substantially concentric with and lying adjacent to the cylinsupported by frame members 90.

BI is a cable carrying circuit Wires 92 leading to this heating pad, the cable 9! having a continuation 93 extending beyond the casing and leading from a suitable source of current.

95 is a bracket secured to the bar I3. 96 is a block of insulating material fixedly carried by the bracket 95; 91 a contact point carried by the block, and 98 a circuit lead. 99 is a second block of insulation carrying 'a complementary contact point IIIIJ. The block 99 is pivotably carried by the bracket 95 and has an arm II which extends through a slot I62 in the slide I1, and through an opening I63 in the band extension I4 and has an extension I64 adapted to be held against the inner surface of the band I4 by an article, such as a sandwich, I05, within the pocket in the position 35B adjacent the openings I6 and I8. I06 is a spring acting on the arm IIII, which spring when the pocket in the position 35-A is empty, brings the points 91 and I60 into contact, and completes the circuit to a signal light IIlI on the front of the casing, indicating that the pocket is empty.

In the use of the device, one of the doors-t (II, I2 or I3) covering a carrier therebelow is opened and the sandwiches or other articles to be dispensed are dropped into the pockets 35, the latch arm 56 being raised from engagement with the lugs 28 and the carrier being advanced step by step as filling is carried on. As filling I progresses the filled pockets move toward alinement with the openings I6 and I8, through which discharge is effected into the chute 10. At some time before this point is reached the chain 84"" is grasped and the shutter 11 raised to close the opening I6 and permit complete filling of all the pockets. After filling has been accomplished the chain 84 is released and the shutter 'I'I allowed to drop to place, reestablishing alinement of the openings I6 and I8 and allowing immediate discharge of the article from the pocket which is in the position 35-A. The door above the carrier is then closed and locked, the operation being repeated for each of the three carriers shown, or for as many carriers as there may be, should the casings accommodate a different number than are shown.

With the carriers filled, the customer drops a coin of the proper denomination in the coin slot of the coin control apparatus II and pushes in the plunger related thereto. This inward movement slides the fork along the rim of the disc 26 and brings the cam 62 into engagement with the cam member SI, and, the move ment of the plunger continuing, raises the latch arm 50. This movement disengages the latch 53 from lug engagement at about the same time that the end 46 of the plunger engages a lug the latch 53 to accomplish this disengagement tilts the arm 51 upward, where it rests on top of the latch arm 50, and moves the latch 60 downward into the path of a lug in the position 28-'-B. Continued movement of the plunger 42 shifts the disc 26 a full pocket space. In accomplishing this shift the cam 62 slides under the cam member BI during the time that it is necessary for the latch 53 to be raised to permit the passage therebeneath of a lug moving from the position 28C, and after such lug movement has been accomplished the cam clears the cam member 6|, allowing the latch arm to drop and the latch 53 to resume lug engaging position. This movement also permits the cam 5'! 'in the position 28A. Raising movement of sis -ns 1 5 wim w, gtherpurpo and for the dispensmg of othel so the s mplemcdnfor hein m [th articles, such f0 {example as cyl" Weidaim 1. Operatin "j'cki movement continues zmgi permitsaidstdp m reseat onrsaid drum and engag wand stop the movemant of :the nex irfol lowing lugx=and thereby limit "approaches engagement man a lugsaiducofipsras gitive means being coordinatsd mpass' 'amplunger chine having !Qiasing-ncltjsedyrlotary c pensing with projecting; qually spaced tags and 6 j boordinat zedfdisbepsing pociket s; said mesh including a plunged" sliqetbly irmuntedfthrb wall of said casing and manually rjeciprocablaltlie longitudinal axis of said pluhger lying substannendportion resting on, and adapted to gagenje end of said carried by said casing and engaging said drum to prevent, retroactive movement thereof.

, 4, 7 Operating mechanism for a vending machine having: a casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum ,withprojecting, equally spaced lugs" and coordinated dispensing pockets: said mechanism including a plunger slidably mounted through a wall of said casing and manually reciprocable, the longitudinal axis" of said plunger lying substantially tangent to said drum, said plunger having an end portion resting on, and adapted to .slide along the circumference of said drum ,into actuating engagement with each of said lugs in'succession and on continuing movement to ,cum ference of said drum and engage said lugs in shift said drum, an arm hingedly secured to said casing, said arm having at its free end a downwardly turned stop adapted to, ride on the cirsuccessionto limit their movement, means urging said stop into lugengagement', means carried by said plunger and cooperative means carried by said arm, adapted, on inward movement of said plunger, to engage and raise said 'stopfout of the path of said lugs as the end of said plunger approaches engagement with a lug, said cooperative means being coordinated to pass as plunger movement continues andpermit said stop to reseat onv saiddrum and engage and stopthem'ovement oi the next following lug and thereby limit turning 'movement of said drum;v and means carried by cluding a plunger slidably mounted through a wall of said casing and manually reciprocablathe longitudinal axis of said plunger lyingsubstantially tangent to said drum, said plunger having an end'portion resting on, and adapted tofslide along the circumference of said drum into actuating engagement with each'of said disc lugs in a succession and on continuing movement to shift said drum, an arm hingedly secured to said casing, said arm having at its free end a downwardly turned stop adapted toride on the circumference of said drum and engage said lugs in succession .to limit their movement, said stop beingslotted to prevent lateral movement, resilient means ,urging said stop into lug engagement with said drum, means carried by said plunger, and cooperative means carried by said arm, adapted, on inward movement of said plunger, to engage and raise said stop out of the path of said lugs as the end of said plunger approaches engagement with a lug, said cooperative means being cordinated to pass as plunger movement continues and permit said stop to reseat on saiddrum and stop themovement of the next following lug, thereby limiting turning movement of said drum, and ratchet .means carried by said casing and engaging said drum to prevent retroactive movement thereof. a 6. Operating mechanism fora vending machine having a casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum with projecting, equallyspaced lugs and coordinated dispensing pockets; said mechanism in-' cluding a member having a portion exterior to 7 said casing, said member extending through a a second means disposed out of the path of said lugs and adjacent but rearward of a said lug, a

,means, carried ,by said first means engageable by vls aid 'memloerfto, displace said first means from said lug path duringpassage of said adjacent lug,

means carried by said second means engageable bysaid first means to concurrently dispose said 5 second meansinthe path of said lugs, and means for restoring saidffirst and second means respectively to their initial positions, after lug movement past saidfirst means.

'7. Operating mechanism for a vending machine having a'casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum with: projecting; equally spaced lugs and coordinated dispensing pockets; said mechanisni' ineluding a member having a portion exterior to said casing, said member extending through a wall of said casing and'being slidably shiftable into operative engagement with each of said lugs successively, a first means disposed in the path of said'lugs adjacent and forward of a said lug,

a second means disposed out of the path of said go lugs and adjacent but rearward of a said lug,- means carriedby said first means engageable by 1 said member to displace" saidfirst means from said lug path during passage of said adjacent 1 g; means carried .by said second means engage- 5 able by said first means to concurrently dispose said second means in the path of said lugs, means for restoring said first and second means respectively to their initial positions after lug movement past said first means, and ratchet means with projecting, equally spaced lugs and coordinated pockets; said mechanism including a reciprocable plunger slidably mounted through a Wall of said casing, said plunger having an end portion adapted to operatively engage each of said lugs in succession and on continuing movement, to shift said drum; a first arm hingedly secured to said casing, said arm havingat its free enda downwardly turned stop, adapted'to engage said lugs in succession to limit their movement, means urging said stop into lug-engagement, means carried by said plunger and coop-' erative means carried by said arm, adapted, on inward movement of said plunger, to raise said stop out of lug-engagement as the end of said plunger approaches engagement with a lug, said cooperative means being'cordinated to pass, as

plunger movement continues, and permit said stop to engage and stop the movement of the next following lug, and thereby limit turning movement of said drum; means'carried by said casing and engaging said drum to preventretroactive movement thereof; a rocker arm pivoted adjacent its mid point to said casing, means urging one end of said rocker arm against the top I of the tree end of said first arm, said rocker arm 6 having'at its opposite end a stop portion normally held by said urging means clear of lug engagement, and adjacent but rearwardly, as regards directional movement, to a said lug, said rocker arm being tilted by raising of said first arm to bring its said stop into thepath of the next succeeding lug. a

9. Operatingmechanism for a vending machine having a casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum with projecting, equally spaced lugs and coordi- 7 nated dispensing pockets; said mechanism includingna reciprocable plunger slidably mounted through a wall of said casing, said plunger having an end portion adapted to operatively engage each of said lugs in succession and on continuing movement to shift said drum, an arm secured to said casing, said arm having a movable end, said end having a downwardly turned stop adapted to engage said lugs in succession to limit their movement, said stop being slotted to prevent ;lateral movement, resilient means urging said.

stop into lug engagement, means carried by said plunger and cooperative means carried by said arm, adapted on inward movement of said plunger, to raise said stop out of lug-engagement as the end of said plunger approaches engagement with a lug, said plunger means andjsaid cooperative means being coordinated to pass, as

plunger movement continues, and permit said end of said first arm, said rocker, arm having at its opposite end, a stop portion normally held by said spring action clear of lug engagement, said stop portion being positioned adjacentbut rear- Wardly as regards directional movementto a said lug, said second arm being tilted, by raising of saidfirst arm, to bring its said stop portion into engagement with the next succeeding lug.

10. Operating mechanism for a vending machine having a casing-enclosed, rotary dispense ing drum with projecting, equally spaced lugs and coordinated dispensing pockets; said mechanism including a reciprocable plunger, slidably mounted through a wall of said casing, said plunger having an end portion adapted to operatively and successively engage said lugs, and on progressive movement to shift s'aid drum; an arm hingedly secured to said casing, said arm having at its free end a downwardly turned stop adapted to engage said lugs to limit their movement, means urging said stop into lug engagement, acam pivotally connected to said plunger, a stop on said plungerlimiting-retrogressive movement of said cam at an operative position of said cam, a spring urging said camagainst said stop, acam member on said arm in the path of movement of said cam, said cam and cam member having cooperative surfaces adapted, on inward movement of said plunger, to raise said stop outof lug-engagement as the end of said plunger engages a said lug, the thicknessoi saidcamand cam member being such as to permitsaid cam to pass said cam member, shortly after the passage of alug and means carriedby said casing and engaging said drum to prevent retroactive movement thereof.

11. Operating mechanism fora vending machine having a casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum with projecting, equally spaced lugs and coordinateddispensing pockets; said mechanism including a reciprocable plunger mounted through a Wall of said casing, said plunger being adapted to successively engage each of said lugs andon continuing movement to shift said drum,

an arm secured to said casing and having adownwardly turned end portion, said end portion being adapted to engage'said lugs to limit their movement, means urging said end portion into lug engagement, means carried by said plunger and cooperative means carried by said arm,

, adapted, on inward movement of said plunger,

toraise said end portion out of lug-engagement,

said cooperative means being coordinated to pass said plungermeans as plunger movement continues and permit said end portion to be reestablishedin the path of movement of the next fol lowing lug, and thereby limit turning movement of said drum; and means carried by said casing adapted to prevent retroactive movement of the I said; drum.

12. Operating mechanism for a vending machine having a casing-enclosed, rotary dispensing drum with projecting, equally spaced lugs and coordinated dispensin pockets; said mechanism including a reciprocable plunger slidably mounted through a wall of said casing, said plunger being I adapted to operatively engage each of said lugs raise said stopout of lug engagement as the end of said plunger approaches engagement with a lug, said cooperative means being coordinated to 1 pass as plungermovement continues and permit said stop to check thejmovement of the next following lug, thereby limiting turning movement of saiddrum; and ratchet means carried by said casing adapted to prevent retroactive movement of said drum.

LUE O. GARNER.

FRED MON'I'ESI 

